Vending device



1960 G. c. HARRISON 2,950,154

' VENDING DEVICE Filed Feb. 8, 1956 Mu /v70? 65014 656 flare/501v 2,950,154 Patented Aug. 23, 1960 ire VENDING DEVICE George C. Harrison, Roseville, Minn. (32 Mid Oaks Lane, St. Paul 13, Minn.)

Filed Feb. 8, 1956, Ser. No. 564,266

Claims. (Cl. 31235) This invention relates to vending devices, and in particular to coin-operated devices for vending fragile articles such as eggs.

In the vending of eggs it is necessary to avoid abrupt starting or stopping of the mechanism, since eggs may be down-graded and even broken by jarring. Complicated mechanisms employing carrier belts or similar means of handling the product are expensive, and furthermore are undesirable because of the excessive space requirements. Since eggs must be kept under controlled low temperature, the vending mechanism should be as compact and uncomplicated as possible, so as to conserve refrigerated space and to remain operative under low temperature conditions.

Coin-operated control mechanisms which accept the required number and size of coins and then deliver an actuating impulse to the vending mechanism are well known, and form no part of the present invention. A common type delivers an electrical impulse on actuation, and requires a return impulse to drop the coins from the counting mechanism to the coin storage chamber and to prepare the device for the next cycle. The vending mechanism must therefore operate from a single electrical impulse and must in turn provide a similar impulse to the control mechanism.

My invention provides smooth vending action with a minimum of mechanical apparatus. The unit is selfcontained and extremely compact, and several units may be operated side-by-side from a single control, making for high capacity and minimum space requirements. Operation is by gravity, requiring no motors or other sources of power except the electrical impulses from and to the control device. The simplicity of construction and action keeps the unit effective under widely varying conditions and with a minimum of service, and provides for economy both in construction and in operation. The vendor is easily re-loaded and re-set. While the invention is here described for convenience primarily in connection with the vending of eggs, the structure is easily altered to accommodate a wide variety of other commodities.

I have found that these and other characteristics and advantages are attained by providing a vertical unit stack of commodity-carrying shelves, a vending port past which the stack of shelves may be moved, control means for controlling the rate of movement of the stack, and other control means for initiating and halting the movement of the stack as required for effective vending, all as will now be more explicitly described in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a completed and enclosed vendor as applied to the vending of eggs;

Figure 2 is a partial rear elevation, partly in section, of a single vending unit including portions of the framework and of the stack of shelves;

Figure 3 is a section through the stack of shelves taken along line 3-3 of Figure 2; v

Figure 4 is a detail, largely in section, of a counterbalance member;

Figure 5 is a partial plan view, partly in section, of a single vending unit showing a portion of the control means, framework, and stack of shelves;

Figure 6 is a side elevation, partly in section, of one form of control means;

Figure 7 is a side elevation, and Figure 8 a partial section taken along line 8-8 thereof, of a detail of another form of control means; and

Figure 9 is a side elevation of a modified support for the counterbalance as employed With a further modification of the control means.

A completed vendor is illustrated in Figure 1 as seen by the user. It will be understood that the complete vendor may include storage facilities, refrigerating and heating equipment and controls, electric meter and wiring, and other auxiliary equipment as desired, in addition to one or more vending mechanisms. The model illustrated includes two vending stacks operated from a single coin mechanism, the cartons of eggs being removed through one or the other of the two delivery doors shown. The vendor is identified by suitable legend in the form of a signboard aflixed to the upper free area of the front outer wall.

As shown in Figure 2, each of the vending stacks contained within the vendor of Figure 1 comprises a pair of stationary vertical frame members 10 and 11 and a movable multiple cage or stack member 12 located therehetween. The frame members are connected to opposing frame members 27 and 28, not shown in Figure 2, through plate members 30 and 39, shown here in crosssection. The stack 12 has a pair of perforated indexing beams 13 and 14 each carrying at least two wheel members 15 bearing against a vertical edge of the adjacent frame member, as shown. The beams 13 and 14 are rigidly connected by a series of shelves 16, the latter being further held in position by corner-posts 17 andbeing so spaced and dimensioned as to support desired packages such as the egg carton illustrated at 18. Each beam is perforated, as at 37, at positions corresponding to the number and spacing of shelves 16. The'weight of the stack 12 is partially and controllably counterbalanced by a member 19 suspended within a tubular container 20 from a flexible cable 21 which passes over suitable pulleys 22 attached to the upper end of the frame member 11.

Figure 3 is a section taken at 3-3 of the stack fragment of Figure 2, showing the shelf members 16 attached to beam 13 carrying the Wheel members 15.

A detail of a preferred counterbalance member 19 is shown in Figure 4. The member consists of a tubular casing 23 open at the top and fitted with a centrally perforated flap valve 24 near the bottom. It is loaded with heavy metal discs or washers 25 to provide the proper counterbalancing action and is supported from a suitable handle 26. The counterbalance operates in a bath of oil which fiows through the orifice in the valve flap 24 and between the outer surface of the casing 23 and the container 25). The size of the orifice may be changed, e.g. by substituting a different flap 24. valve permits rapid descent but retards the ascent of the counterbalance 19.

The rate of descent of the cage 12 is regulated by the counterbalance weights 25, by the viscosity of the oil contained in the cylinder 20, and by the size of the orifice in the flap 24. of about one to three seconds for vending a single carton is found to be slow enough to prevent breakage or damage to the product yet sufliciently rapid to cause no inconvenience to the purchaser.

Figure 5 shows the stack 12 of shelves 16, comerposts 17, and beams 13 and .14 carrying wheels 15, arranged for vertical motion along vertical edges of frame The. i

For dispensing eggs, a drop rate V and brace 38.

members 10 and 11. These frame members are here shown to be fastened to opposing frame members 27 and -28 through thin flexible plate members 30 and 39.

Connection is provided by. spot-welding at intervals, as

more clearly indicated in Figure 7. A shelf member 2.9V

1 is secured to the frame member 28, and this shelf memj end of the lever 33 is free to oscillate forward and backward within the confines of the rectangular'opening 31 in the shelf 29 while the lower end is permanently secured to a somewhat flexible stiff spring support 35 attached to ashelf-36 which is supported at either end by V frame members 11 and 28.

The latch 34 fits into a socket 37 provided by one of the perforations of the indexing beam .14 when the lever 33 is in forward position, and thus supports that portion of the weight of the loaded stack 12 which is not counterbalanced. The weight is sufficient to cause slight compression of the spring support 35. The support 35 is adjusted so that the latch 34 is normally urged forwardly, toward the beam 14, but may be retracted under the stress imparted by activation of the solenoid In the operation of the device as thus described, an electrtical impulse provided through the coin-operated control mechanism retracts the plunger of the solenoid and hence the lever 33 and latch 34, permitting the stack 12 to start to descend. Since the impulse is momentarily only the plunger immediately flies forward again, and would normally reenter the same perforation 37 and prevent continuance of the vending cycle, due to the necessarily slow rate of descent of the stack. This is particularly true since the forward upper surface of the latch is desirably beveled sufficiently to permit easy withdrawal from the socket 37 under the limited stress supplied by the solenoid 32. Failure to vend is avoided, however, by slight upward relaxation of the support member 35 when relieved of the weight of the stack. When the solenoid is de-energized and the lever 33 springs forward, the latch 34 therefore strikes the surface of the/beam 14 a short but suflicient distance above the upper edge of the socket 37, and the stack-1 2 continues to descend until the latch is in position to enter the socket next in line. The delivery door may then be opened and the merchandise withdrawn.

.The cycle described is repeated until the stack has been exhausted. Suitable switches then de-activate the mechanism and activate the next stack.

A modification of the latch support mechanism is illustrated in Figures 7 and 8, showing the flexible lever 33 fastened to a rigid brace 38 which in turn is'fastened to the thin flexible plate member 39 connecting the frame 'members- 11 and 28. The lever 33 is just sufficiently flexible to provide for motion within the slot 31 without buckling under the weight of the stack 12. The frame members are of rigid construction, whereas the plate 39 is typically a thin flexible sheet of metal spot-welded at spaced intervals along the inner surface of each frame member, as indicated at 42. The plate is therefore Still a further method of providing effective release of the stack under momentary activation of the latch mechanism is illustrated in Figure 9. In this case the latch support may be rigidly fastened to a rigid frame, since the immediate slight but essential overlap of the latch past the socket is here obtained by manipulation of the stack support. As shown in Figure 9, the flexible cable 21 connecting the stack and counterweight is mechanism. Such a switch is conveniently operated by" lightly and temporarily snubbed between the supporting pulleys 22 by means of an idler pulley 40 supported by an adjustable coil spring l attached to the frame 11. Withdrawing the latch 34 andfreeingthe stack 12 then 7 extends the spring 41 and permits the stack to drop just sufficiently to prevent the latch from're-entering the same socket in the beam 14. With the stack supported on the latch at the next succeeding perforation in the indexing beam, thespring 41 againretracts against theweight o the counterbalance and snubs the cable 2 1 in'preparation for the next cycle Suitable adjusting means, not shown, may be provided for adjusting the tension of the spring 41 in accordance with the free weight Offthfi stack 12.

The operation has been described in connection with the actuation of a single stack by a single electrical impulse of short duration. Many alternative or additional operations are also contemplated. The coin mechanism may merely close an actuating circuit, in which case a switch is provided to open the circuit and reset the coin the motion of the plunger of the solenoid 32. As one of a series of stacks reaches its final vending position, other switches and relays are actuated by the stack itself, through suitable contact members thereon, to channel subsequent impulses from the coin mechanism to members.

, ing to the front of the vendor of Figure 1 might be pro.-

capable of buckling appreciably under stress, and of the mechanism of the next stack in the series. When the stack is refilled and hoisted into operating position,

the switches and relays automatically return its mechanism to the proper place in the operating cycle. Thus the only action required of an attendant is the periodic refilling of the shelves with the articles to be vended and lifting of the filled stacks to the upper operable position. indicating when a unit has been emptied.

The vending units may be made extremely compact:

The entire operating mechanism maybe enclosed within the space between the supporting columns 10 and 11, for' example by placing rollers and vertical beams at both ends of the shelves and adjacent both front and rear frame The entire unitis extremely simple in con struction. A series of units may be placed in side-by-side position, the vertical frame members then being common to adjacent units. sections and serviced from within a building while vending to the outside. 'Alternatively, they may vend to, and

be serviced from a common side, simply by providing lifting means for returning the stack to the upper vending position. Thus, a cord and pulley arrangement extendvided. Cartons would then be placed on the shelves through the delivery doors as the stacks were hauled upward, the latch 34 acting as an escapement to permit upward movement while preventing downward movement of the stack. The entire rear area of theunit may be covered, and the lifting means protected, thus preventing access by unauthorized personnel.

The mechanism is illustrated in Figure 2 as having both of the index beams'13 and 14 perforated, whereas only one of these beams is contacted by the actuating mechanism, as indicated in Figures 5 and 6. The two index beams are interchangeable, for example, merely by rotating thestack 12 through l dcgrees and reversing the position of the rollers 15, and hence beam 13 may replace beam 14 in the event of damage or excessive. wear. to the indexing means of the latter. The latch 34 and lever..33

are also readily replaced if necessary. ,However such.

Suitable indicating means may be provided for The units may be. placed within wall interchangeability is not essential to the successful operation of the mechanism.

Obviously, the same mechanism is equally well adapted to the vending of a wide variety of merchandise, since the size and location of the commodity-carrying shelves may be altered within wide limits. The device is particularly advantageous for vending refrigerated or frozen foods, due to its extreme simplicity and ruggedness. The same mechanism may also be employed for regulated delivery of articles in manufacturing processes and the like, actuation being attained either automatically at predetermined intervals or by push-button control rather than through coin-operated mechanism.

What I claim is as follows:

1. For use with a vending device having a slowly downwardly movable stack of shelves and an associated indexing beam having an indexing discontinuity corresponding to each shelf, a control device comprising a latch member coacting with each of said discontinuities in turn, means for retracting and again immediately advancing said latch member on actuation of the vending device, and deflection means for preventing said latch memher, when rapidiy advanced toward the slowly movable index beam after being retracted therefrom, from again entering into coaction with the same discontinuity; the.

rate of descent of said stack and the speed of retraction and return of said latch member, in the absence of said deflection means, permitting said latch member to reenter into coaction with the same one of said discontinuities.

2. The device of claim 1 including means for vertically slightly displacing the latch member under change in load thereon.

3. The device of claim 1 in which the movable stack is partially supported by a counterbalance, and including means for permitting slight vertical movement of said stack without any corresponding movement of said counterbalance.

4. A vending device capable of vending eggs and other fragile articles without deterioration from jarring and including, in combination: a framework having rigid parallel vertical rail members and a flexible vertical side member; a vending stack including vertically aligned shelves and an indexing beam perforated in accordance with the number and location of said shelves, and guide members coacting with said vertical rail members for guiding said stack along said framework; counterbalance means supporting a portion of the weight of said stack and permitting the loaded stack to descend at a controlled slow rate; and a control device comprising a latch member coacting with said perforated indexing beam and mounted on a vertical lever member supported from said flexible vertical side member, said lever permitting retraction of said latch from a perforation for release of said stack in a vending operation, and said vertical side mezher providing slight vertically upward movement through said lever to said latch promptly upon said retraction and release.

5. A vending device including, in combination: movable support means for separately supporting a plurality of articles to be vented; access means providing limited access to said support means for individual vending of said articles; rate control means for restricting the rate of motion of said support means; position control means, and latch means engageable therewith, for releasably holding said movable support means in each of a succession of vending positions; actuation means for momentarily disengaging said latch means at a given position; and deflecting means for producing immediate slight overlap of said latch means and position control means at said given position on momentary disengagement therebetween;

the rate of movement of said support means and the speed of operation of said latch means, in the absence of said deflecting means, permitting said latch means to re-engage said position control means at said given posi tion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 848,373 Ihlder et a1. Mar. 26, 1907 1,137,648 Madsen Apr. 27, 1915 2,029,460 Brady Feb. 4, 1936 FOREZLN ATENTS 460,010 Germany May 19, 1928 

